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The new world of robot warcraft

By Jeff Hecht

ANYONE who thinks robot warfare is science fiction should talk to my plumber. His cousin got into the US Air Force Academy, but isn’t aiming to be a top gun. Instead, the cadet is training to fly remotely controlled robotic aircraft from the safety of a chair, far from enemy fire. The plumber considers that a smart move; fighter pilots can get killed.

If you want the whole story of remote warfare, pick up a copy of Wired for War, in which Peter Singer, a fellow of the non-profit Brookings Institution in Washington DC, exhaustively documents …